Portable heating apparatus



June 22, 1965 GRAY PORTABLE HEATING APPARATUS 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed May 1. 1961 INVENTOR. RUBEN L.GRAY

ATTORNEY Jun 22, 1965 R. L. GRAY 3,190,012

PORTABLE HEATING APPARATUS Filed May 1, 1961 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. F g. 4

RUBEN L. GRAY WEW ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,190,012 PORTABLE HEATING APPARATUS Ruben L. Gray, 2635 Oakford St., Philadelphia 24, Pa. Filed May 1,1961, Ser. No. 106,671 3 Claims. (Cl. 34'-151) This invention relates to electrical heating apparatus and in particular to a novel portable apparatus useful for drying articles such as clothes and the like.

While apparatus is known which is installed permanently in homes for drying of clothes and similar articles, there is not a suitable apparatus that can easily be moved from place to place which is built to dry clothes or similar articles. Families on vacation at camp sites or at motels often have need for apparatus for drying within a short time articles of clothes or diapers, for example, that are required for the next days journey. In many localities, commercial laundry establishments are not easily found and the temperature and humidity are such that drying articles by merely hanging them in a room does not dry them sufficiently within the time available. Furthermore, the expedient of placing clothes on radiators or the like cannot be resorted to because the radiator contours would be imparted to the dried clothing or might soil the clothing.

It is therefore a primary object of the present invention to provide apparatus for drying moist articles.

Another object of the invention is to provide easily portable apparatus for drying wet or moist articles.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a novel portable heating appliance for drying clothes and the like.

Another object of the invention it to provide portable and compact apparatus for electrical resistance heating for drying clothes and similar articles.

Other objects of the invention will be aparent upon reading of the following specification taken in conjunction with the drawings herein.

In accordance with myinvention I have provided a luggage-type aparatus having one side wall which can be disassembled therefrom and also having collapsible wall means between the detachable side wall and the rest of the suitcase-type structure. Articles to be dried are placed on rods inside the collapsible walls when extended and an electrical resistance type heater at the bottom directs a flow of hot air through and around the clothes, the hot air escaping through a vent in the detachable side wall.

FIGURE 1 is a perspective View of apparatus constructed in accordance with my invention showing the expanded collapsible walls and the apparatus in its open position;

FIGURE 2 is a side elevation and partly sectional view of the apparatus shown in FIG. 1;

FIGURE 3 is a front elevation view, partially in section, of the apparatus shown in FIG. 1; and

FIGURE 4 is an enlarged view of the lower front portion of the apparatus as shown in FIG. 1.

Referring to FIGURES 1, 2, 3 and 4 a structure resembling a suitcase comprised of a portion 11 and a detachable side wall 12 are shown. Intermediate the portion 12 and 11 is a bellows-type collapsible wall structure 13. With the portion 11 resting on the floor or other base on its feet 14 (FIG. 2) the portion 12 is manually pulled up. Within the collapsible bellows structure 13 are located two side bracket structures 15. Only one bracket is shown in FIG. 2, it being understood that its counterpart is provided on the other side of the apparatus. These brackets 15 support the detachable wall 12 in an upright position as will be explained in more detail below. A spring 9 fastened to the ends of brackets 15 tends to maintain the latter in their unfolded position and thereby keep the walls 13 upright. When the brackets 15 are opened to the maximum desired extent, a hook member 32 fastened to one of the rigid members 16, for example, may be inserted in an eyelet member 33 to maintain the brackets in an upstanding position.

The case member 11 is provided with a handle 15a and a setting knob and switch 17 for turning the heater off and on to the proper heating temperature, i.e., high or low. There are also provided grille structures Ida and 1812 through which cool air can enter the chamber. Similarly, the wall 12 is provided with a cup-shaped screen member 29 through which heated, moisture-laden air can escape. Fasteners such as clasps 21 (FIG. 1) engage L-shaped members 21 (FIG. 1) to fasten the wall 12 against the part 11 when the apparatus is being trans ported or is not in use. As may be seen by reference to FIG. 4, the collapsible walls 13 may be closed tightly after the clothes are inserted by means of two zippers 22 or other apropriate closure devices. The walls 13 may be made of a heat-resistant plastic material or may, for example, be made of a heatand fire-resistant woven fabric.

Referring more particularly to FIGURES 2 and 3, two pantograph-type brackets 15 are disposed on either side within the space enclosed by the collapsible wall 13. Each pantograph bracket has a number of rigid sections 16 which are criss-crossed as shown and kept together by pivots such as those shown at the numbers 13, 19, 19a and 19b, for example. To maintain rigidity of the apparatus along its longitudinal axis and also to provide places on which to hang the articles to be dried, these pivots, for example, together with their counterparts on the opposite side, are connected to tubular or other rigid members 25. At the ends of the rigid members 16 closest to the interior surface of the sidewall 12 and the interior surface of the sidewall of part 11, structures 26 are provided which are pivotally connected to the rigid members 16. Each of the structures 26 has a groove 26a in which the ends of members 16 are pinned and a narrow portion 26b which slides in one of the slits 27 in elongated members 30 which are fixedly attached to the interior surfaces of the sidewall 12 and of part 11. It will be noted that the members 3t) are displaced from their adjacent members somewhat because the members 16 are displaced somewhat from their adjacent counterparts. To keep the member 26 from becoming disengaged from the slit, horizontal portions 26c are connected to the bottoms of the narrow portions 26b. If desired, the sidewall 12 may be provided with a collapsible handle on its top to facilitate raising thereof.

Referring again to FIG. 3 a heat-generating chamber 36 is provided which is enclosed on four sides by walls 37 made of an appropriate heat-resistant material. Sus pended from inclined portions 38' are insulating brackets 39 which, together with other insulating brackets mounted on the interior walls of the chamber 36, support a resistance-heating coil 40. Below the heating coil 46 is provided a fan 41 driven by a motor 42 mounted on a mounting bracket 43 which, in turn, is attached to mounting pedestals 4-4 permanently fixed to the interior surface of the side wall of part 11. The heating coil 40 is connected to two terminals shown generally at numeral 4s (FIG. 2) to which two wires are attached that are connected via switch 17 to input terminals 48 located in the casing part 11. The motor 42 also has leads which pass through aperture $0 and are connected to switch 17. The input terminals 43 are preferably male so that a safe connection may be made to an external source of AC. voltage as for example by connection to a female plug commonly used for household irons and appliances. The chamber 36 is also provided with a number of apertures 47 to permit air from vents 18a and 1.3112 to enter the chamber. The top of the chamber 36 over the heating coil consists of a grille or mesh 49 made of wire, for ex ample, to permit the heated ambient air to rise and circulate through t e moist clothes.

Since the collapsible walls 1-3 occupy space when the apparatus is closed, the space 23 is provided between the brackets 15 and the walls 1% of the casing part 11 in which the folded-up bellows-like material can be disposed thereby concealing the same and permitting the overall apparatus to have a pleasing appearance when not in use.

In order to use the space within the wall 13 most efficiently, there may be provided additional hanging brackets 52 and 53 which are pivotally mounted in structures 54 connected to the inside surface of the side wall member 12 as shown in FIG. 3. if these additional brackets are mounted with considerable friction in the mounting member 54, they can be folded so as to remain positioned in a plane substantially parallel to the inside surface of wall 12 when not in use.

if desired, the apparatus may be provided with a thermostat (not shown) to assist in limiting the internal temperature. Also, the apparatus may be used for hair drying by attaching thereto a flexible hose 61 connected to a head cap 5s. The hose has an end portion 53 which fits in the screen cup 29. An annular sealing disc 57 is located near the portion 58. The cap has a mesh-covered opening 59 to permit the heated air to escape and also has an elastic-trimmed edge to enable it to fit the head snugly.

Still other uses and applications of the novel apparatus shown as :well as structural modifications thereof will e evident to those skilled in the art. Consequently, I desire my invention to be limited in scope only by the claims herein.

I claim:

1. Portable heating apparatus comprising: casing means which includes a first top rigid wall portion and a second bottom rigid wall portion adapted to be connected to said top portion to form therewith an enclosed carrying case and detachable therefrom, folding closure wall means connected between said first top rigid wall and said second bottom rigid wall portions to form an adjustable enclosure, said folding closure wall means having a portion adapted to be opened and closed whereby articles may be inserted and withdrawn from said enin to permit air to enter and also including a channel to receive said closure means when folded, extensible pantograph means within said enclosure which is connected to said first and second rigid wall portions to rigidly support said first top wall portion in a predetermined vertically spaced relation to said second bottom rigid wall portion when said folding closure wall means is unfolded, and electrical heater means within a housing situated in said enclosure for heating the atmosphere therein, said housing having air inlets formed therein through which passes air entering said bottom Wall portion through said apertures, said housing also including a top perforated portion which permits the escape of air heated therein, said top and bottom rigid wall portions being constructed to encase said folding wall, pantograph, and electrical heater means when said carrying case is closed.

2. The apparatus according to claim '1 wherein said first and second rigid wall portions form a generally parallelepiped structure when connected to one another, wherein said extensible means includes two pantograph structures connected to said first'and second wall portions at opposite ends of said parallelepiped structure, and

wherein said second wall portion is adapted to rest upon a substantially horizontal base whereupon said pantograph structures can extend upwardly to support said first portion and said folding wall in its unfolded state.

3. The apparatus as in claim 2 wherein said pantograph means includes elongated means for supporting articles to be dried.

References Cited by the Examiner 512,797 9/39 Great Britain.

NORMAN YUDKOFF, Prima" Examiner. closure, said bottom Wall portion having apertures there- 5 a [y CHARLES OCONNELL, Examiner. 

1. PORTABLE HEATING APPARATUS COMPRISING: CASING MEANS WHICH INCLUDES A FIRST TOP RIGID WALL PORTION AND A SECOND BOTTOM RIGID WALL PORTION ADAPTED TO BE CONNECTED TO SAID TOP PORTION TO FORM THEREWITH AN ENCLOSED CARRYING CASE AND DETACHABLE THEREFROM, FOLDING CLOSURE WALL MEANS CONNECTED BETWEEN SAID FIRST TOP RIGID WALL AND SAID SECOND BOTTOM RIGID WALL PORTIONS TO FORM AN ADJUSTABLE ENCLOSURE, SAID FOLDING CLOSURE WALL MEANS HAVING A PORTION ADAPTED TO BE OPENED AND CLOSED WHEREBY ARTICLES MAY BE INSERTED AND WITHDRAWN FROM SAID ENCLOSURE, SAID BOTTOM WALL PORTION HAVING APERTURES THEREIN TO PERMIT AIR TO ENTER AND ALSO INCLUDING A CHANNEL TO RECEIVE SAID CLOSURE MEANS WHEN FOLDED, EXTENSIBLE PANTOGRAPH MEANS WITHIN SAID ENCLOSURE WHICH IS CONNECTED TO SAID FIRST AND SECOND RIGID WALL PORTIONS TO RIGIDLY SUPPORT SAID FIRST TOP WALL PORTION IN A PREDETERMINED VERTICALLY SPACED RELATION TO SAID SECOND BOTTOM RIGID WALL PORTION WHEN SAID FOLDING CLOSURE WALL MEANS IS UNFOLDED, AND ELECTRICAL HEATER MEANS WITHIN A HOUSING SITUATED IN SAID ENCLOSURE FOR HEATING THE ATMOSPHERE THEREIN, SAID HOUSING HAVING AIR INLETS FORMED THEREIN THROUGH WHICH PASSES AIR ENTERING SAID BOTTOM WALL PORTION THROUGH SAID APERTURES, SAID HOUSING ALSO INCLUDING A TOP PERFORATED PORTION WHICH PERMITS THE ESCAPE OF AIR HEATED THEREIN, SAID TOP AND BOTTOM RIGID WALL PORTIONS BEING CONSTRUCTED TO ENCASE SAID FOLDING WALL, PANTOGRAPH, AND ELECTRICAL HEATER MEANS WHEN SAID CARRYING CASE IS CLOSED. 